Aloe plant named ‘SNOW DRIFT’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Aloe  plant named ‘SNOW DRIFT’ is disclosed, characterized by an upright growth habit, light greyed-green leaves, and red flowers. The new variety is an  Aloe , typically produced as a garden or container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Aloe hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘SNOW DRIFT’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program. The seedparent is the unpatented Aloe ‘Moon Dance’. The pollen parent is anunpatented, unnamed, proprietary seedling resulting from the crossing ofAloe rauhii, x Aloe inermis x Aloe ‘White Lightning’. The crossingresulting in ‘SNOW DRIFT’ was made in December 2016 at a commercialgreenhouse in Vista, Calif. ‘SNOW DRIFT’ was found and selected by theinventor in May 2017 at the same greenhouse in Vista, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘SNOW DRIFT’ was firstperformed by tissue culture at a commercial laboratory in Vista, Calif.in July 2017. ‘SNOW DRIFT’ has since produced several generations andhas shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable andreproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘SNOW DRIFT’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘SNOW DRIFT’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘SNOW DRIFT’ as a new and distinct Aloecultivar:

-   -   1. Upright growth habit.    -   2. Light Grey-Green leaves with a faint pink flush.    -   3. Red flowers.    -   4. Table top size Aloe, maturing to 8″ across.

PARENTAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SNOW DRIFT’ are similar to the seed parentin most horticultural characteristics. However, plants of the newvariety differ from the seed parent in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety has a more compact, upright rosette than the        seed parent.    -   2. The new variety has smoother leaf edges than the seed parent.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SNOW DRIFT’ are similar to the pollen parentin most horticultural characteristics. However, plants of the newvariety differ in the following:

-   -   1. The parent variety has solid colored leaves, the new variety        has speckled leaves.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘SNOW DRIFT’ can be compared to the unpatented commercial variety Aloe‘White Lightning’. The two Aloe varieties are similar in mosthorticultural characteristics; however, the new variety differs in thefollowing:

-   -   1. The new variety is a larger, more open plant than this        comparator.    -   2. The new variety has a smoother leaf margin than this        comparator.    -   3. The new variety produces light greyed-green leaves at all        light levels    -   4. The new variety has a cleaner, more symmetrical growth habit        than this comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs in FIG. 1 illustrate in full color atypical plant of ‘SNOW DRIFT’ grown in a greenhouse in Vista, Calif.This plant is approximately 20 months old, shown in a 1-galloncontainer.

FIG. 2 illustrates the an ageing to nearly spent inflorescence of thenew variety ‘SNOW DRIFT’ with 2 flowers remaining.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and althoughcolors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectanceit is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe ‘SNOW DRIFT’ plants in acommercial greenhouse in Vista, Calif. Temperatures ranged from 21° C.to 25° C. during the day, and 18° C. to 21° C. during the night. Noartificial light, photoperiodic treatments or chemical treatments weregiven to the plants. Natural light conditions were approximately 2500 to3000 fc of light. Measurements and numerical values represent averagesof typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Aloe hybrid ‘SNOW DRIFT’.-   Age of the plant described: 2 years.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: Approximately 30 days at 22° C.-   Root description: Fibrous. Brown, not accurately measured with The    R.H.S. Chart.-   Propagation method: Tissue culture.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Upright rosette, offsetting to form clumps with time.-   Container size: 6 inches.-   Height: Approximately 16 cm to top of highest leaf. Approximately 38    cm to top of highest inflorescence.-   Plant spread: Approximately 20 cm.-   Growth rate: Moderate.-   Branching characteristics: Offsets from base.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette.        -   Average length.—Average 15-18 cm.        -   Average width.—Average 5-6 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Lanceolate/deltoid.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Clasping.        -   Margin.—Entire edge with no teeth.        -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Smooth.        -   Quantity of leaves per plant.—Average 10.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Greyed-Green 198B,            bar-shaped sparse blotches near Green 138B. Margin lightly            flushed Red 49A. Young foliage under side: Near RHS            Greyed-Green 198B, bar-shaped sparse blotches near Green            138B. Margin lightly flushed Red 49A. Mature foliage upper            side: Near RHS Greyed-Green 198B, bar-shaped sparse blotches            near Green 138B. Margin lightly flushed Red 49A. Mature            foliage under side: Near RHS Greyed-Green 198B, bar-shaped            sparse blotches near Green 138B. Margin lightly flushed Red            49A.        -   Venation.—Linear. Color: Indistinguishable from leaf blade.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Rebloomer, three to four times a year.-   Inflorescence type and habit: Panicle, seldom branched.-   Rate of flower opening: Moderate, successive.-   Flower longevity on plant: 1.5 months.-   Quantity of flowers: 10 to 20.-   Total inflorescence size:    -   -   Height.—Approximately 30 cm.        -   Width.—Approximately 7 cm.-   Corolla:    -   -   Arrangement.—Perianth cylindrical/corolla small and            reflexed.        -   Length.—Approximately 2.5 cm.        -   Width.—Approximately 1 cm at widest point.        -   Tepals.—Typically fused, the most mature flowers split at            apex into 6 tepals/lobes. Unfused portion about 8 mm long            and 4 mm wide. Unfused portion longer with age, about 1.1 cm            with age.        -   Color.—Tepals: When opening: Outer surface: Near RHS Red            44A. Inner surface: Near RHS Yellow 2D. Fully opened: Outer            surface: Near RHS Red 44B. Inner surface: Near RHS Yellow            2D.-   Bud:    -   -   Shape.—Cylindrical.        -   Length.—Approximately 2.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 0.5 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Red 44A.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—Approximately 22 cm.        -   Width.—About 7 mm.        -   Color.—Near Greyed-Purple N187C.-   Pedicels:    -   -   Length.—Approximately 1 cm.        -   Width.—2 mm.        -   Aspect.—Lateral.        -   Color.—Near RHS Red 44D.-   Fragrance: None.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:    -   -   Number.—6.        -   Filament length.—Approximately 2.5 cm.        -   Filament color.—Near RHS White N155B.        -   Anther length.—0.25 cm.        -   Anther color.—Near RHS Yellow 6B.        -   Anther shape.—Oval.        -   Pollen color.—Near RHS Yellow 10A.-   Pistil:    -   -   Number.—1.        -   Length.—Approximately 3 cm.        -   Style color.—Near RHS White N155B.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Rounded. Color: Near RHS White N155B. Ovary            color: Near RHS Greyed-Green 193D.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: Pods about 10 mm long and 5 mm wide, colored near    Green 137D when immature, ripening to Grey-Brown N199D. Seed dust    like, colored near Grey-Brown 199C.-   Temperature tolerance: Tolerates temperatures from approximately 0°    to at least 35° C.-   Disease/pest resistance: Shows mite resistance and black spot    resistance (pathogen unconfirmed).

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Aloe plant named‘SNOW DRIFT’ as herein illustrated and described.